Page:The religious life of King Henry VI.djvu/46

26 upon them, and in this way raised many from want to fortune. He certainly never oppressed his people by any immoderate demands, as other princes and rulers before him had done. He lived indeed as a loving father among his children, relieving his peoples' wants out of his own revenues, and preferring to live upon his own resources rather than see his people oppressed by any hard exactions. He was ever entirely contented with what he had, and never coveted what others possessed. This can be shown by many examples. Once a great lord gave him a very precious canopy for his bed. It was covered with golden embroidery, and the donor, when making the presentation, said: De talibus sit cura vestra. But the King, having his mind turned rather to the things heavenly and spiritual, showed clearly that he thought little of such gifts.

At another time the executor of the will of Cardinal Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester and uncle of His Majesty, came to give him the great sum of,£1,000 in gold for his own use and to lighten the burden of the State. Henry absolutely refused to touch the money, saying that he was grateful to his uncle, but added: "Do what you like with it, we have no desire